IT companies should have cyber security officers: Ravi Shankar Prasad

On US president-elect Donald Trump’s statements about sending back Indian IT workers, Prasad said the Indian IT industry has contributed a lot.ET Bureau | November 12, 2016, 08:53 IST

All organisations with "significant IT infrastructure” will be asked to have chief security officers in addition to strengthening the government's own cyber security capability, minister for electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday.

Speaking at the Economic Editors' Conference, Prasad said the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) would get 26 new officers. The CERT is a national-level body that reports computer security incidents and coordinates with local teams that perform similar functions.

CERT & Its implications

The government would also be setting up sector-specific CERTs, including power sector CERT (for generation, transmission & distribution), in addition to banking sector CERT.

Talking about the new President-elect of the US, Donald Trump, who has been vocal in the past about rooting out Indian IT workers from the US, Prasad said the Indian IT industry has contributed in large measures to the American economy.

"Indian IT companies in America are also creating local jobs.Indian IT industry is supporting 4,10,000 jobs in USA, and has invested $2 billion. In the four years from 2011-14, Indian IT industry has paid $20 billion as taxes," he said.

Trump and Indian IT

There has been speculation that Trump could raise the fees for temporary visas for skilled workers, which are used heavily by the IT sector. He said he hopes the US administration will work with India on IT industry issues.

The minister also said organisations have been a part of "mock drill exercises" for cybersecurity. Detailing other efforts of the ministry, Prasad said India had 462 million internet users until June 2016, and was on track to add more people from rural India.

The ministry is also promoting innovation through four new incubators.